"Fringe": Walter Bishop (John Noble) investigates a disturbing pattern that blurs the line between the possible and the impossible on the Fox show premiering Tuesday, Sept. 9 (8:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) 2008.FRINGE: ... more

"Dollhouse" stars Eliza Dushku as Echo. It's a new show on Fox for 2008.DOLLHOUSE: Eliza Dushku as Echo. DOLLHOUSE focuses on a secret organization that employs "Actives" -- a group of operatives who have ... more

Photo: Fox, Greg Gayne 298

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Rufus Sewell, left, as a Special Science Adviser to the FBI, and Marley Shelton in "Eleventh Hour," a new CBS series (2008).

Rufus Sewell, left, as a Special Science Adviser to the FBI, and Marley Shelton in "Eleventh Hour," a new CBS series (2008).

Photo: Sonja Flemming,, CBS

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Fall TV Preview

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Changes - both unforeseen and planned - have dramatically altered how the new fall television season will look to viewers.

Because of last season's disruptive writers strike - the unplanned part of the equation - production halted for three months, and the effects of that work stoppage are still being felt. The most notable element is that freshman series from last season that were starting to make an impact with viewers were suddenly shut down and pulled off the air. At least five of those series are essentially being restarted this season - not new, but not exactly familiar either. It's a big risk for networks.

Partly because of that backlog of interrupted series - "Chuck" and "Life" on NBC, "Dirty Sexy Money," "Pushing Daisies" and "Private Practice" on ABC - there are fewer slots on the schedule for new series.

The planned changes are a little more complicated. Broadcast networks used the strike as a wake-up call to change the way they do business - rejiggering a formula that hadn't been changed in ages: when to order scripts, when to cast, shoot and produce pilots, etc. The plan was to keep production moving at all times in an effort to have a 52-week season so that viewers wouldn't flock to cable in the summer. (Cable, in turn, has been so emboldened by viewership gains that it no longer hides in summer but challenges the networks in the traditional September-to-May TV season.)

The result of the structural changes in the industry became evident in June, as the nation's television critics realized that most of the networks (save for CBS) had nothing to show us. Pilots were not finished. Footage that was shot would later be edited or changed completely. Although critics will eventually get most new fall series before they premiere, evaluating what NBC or Fox or ABC really has to offer has been difficult if not impossible. Many fall previews - like this one - have to rely on the snippets critics were shown in July during the Television Critics Association press tour.

The result has been that many networks have missed out on creating buzz (a mistake they are likely to rectify before next season). Only NBC was able to sledgehammer viewers, via the Summer Olympics, and it's too early to tell whether the comedy "Kath & Kim" or the drama "My Own Worst Enemy" will have any traction from it.

For viewers used to an onslaught of new offerings, the coming fall season will be drastically different because of the aforementioned changes. There are only 14 scripted series for the fall - roughly half the usual number. Even though the five interrupted new series from last season all had their merits - particularly "Pushing Daisies" - it remains to be seen whether viewers who liked them then will come back more than nine months later, regardless of advertising campaigns. Also worrisome for the networks is whether viewers who passed on, say, "Chuck" or "Private Practice" last season will make the effort to sample them this season.

If nothing else, it could come down to the editing: Can a fairly complicated (but wonderful) series like "Pushing Daisies" recap the essential elements of the pilot and the plot developments of nine episodes without reruns? Will new viewers be able to figure out how a whimsical piemaker can touch dead people and make them live again? Despite the all-star cast of "Private Practice" and the fact that it was spun off of "Grey's Anatomy," one of the most popular series on television, will anyone care this season?

As for new series, here's a breakdown of what to expect, network by network:

ABC: The alphabet net is holding its cards until midseason, for the most part, because it has the three previously mentioned strike-shortened series to restart - all on Oct. 1.

There's also "Eli Stone" (Oct. 14), which managed to get all of its 13 episodes in from January to April last season. The only truly new series are the reality show "Opportunity Knocks" (Sept. 23) - where a game show sets up shop on your street and grills you about your family - and the hotly anticipated British remake "Life on Mars" (which premieres Oct. 9). I say "hotly anticipated" because the original, about a modern-day detective transported to the 1970s after an accident, was so good and the new version seems so troubled. It was being re-created by David E. Kelley, but then he opted out and ABC revamped much of the cast (adding Michael Imperioli from "The Sopranos" and famed screen actor Harvey Keitel, among others). "Life on Mars" could be the coolest new show of the fall - or its biggest disappointment.

CBS: The most traditional fall season belongs to the most traditional network. Not coincidentally, since CBS had its pilots ready before anyone else, they are soaking up much of the preseason buzz, starting with the single-camera sitcom "Worst Week" (which premieres Sept. 22), about a guy who simply can't catch a break (unless it's a bad one). CBS has also generated interest in two relationship comedies - "Gary Unmarried" (premiering Sept. 24) and the female-centric "The Ex List" (premiering Oct. 3). There's less chatter about "The Mentalist" (Sept. 23), starring Simon Baker as a fraudulent celebrity psychic now helping law enforcement. But "Eleventh Hour" (premiering Oct. 9), starring Rufus Sewell as a biophysicist helping the FBI (another Brit import), looks very intriguing.

Fox: The ratings champ traditionally starts early but scores its biggest ratings in the latter part of the season. After struggling to find new scripted hits, Fox got all the early buzz merely by being in business with two of television's best creative minds - J.J. Abrams ("Lost") and Joss Whedon ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"). Abrams' "Fringe" (premiering Sept. 9) gets a jump on most shows and is likely to be enthralling with its mix of science fiction and mystery - it's comparable to "The X-Files." Whedon's "Dollhouse" won't air until midseason, but that will only further fan the hype. A comedy, "Do Not Disturb" (premiering Sept. 10), hasn't raised anyone's pulse.

NBC: Both "Chuck" and "Life" return Sept. 29 from their abbreviated first seasons. New fare - in case you missed the promo onslaught during the Olympics - includes the Christian Slater drama "My Own Worst Enemy" (Oct. 13); the remake of "Knight Rider" (Sept. 24), and the Australian comedy import "Kath & Kim," starring Selma Blair and Molly Shannon (Oct. 9); and the adventure drama "Crusoe" (Oct. 17). Because NBC has forgone the traditional pilot route to focus more on scripts, none of their series were shown to critics in advance (except for some clips, which were not very exciting).

The CW: The country's flailing fifth network has already aired "90210" and will give the world "Privileged" - more fluff about rich kids - on Sept. 9 and the reality series "Stylista" on Oct. 29. The latter two are buzz-free. The network has essentially rented out Sunday nights to another company, which will produce scripted series. That's never a good sign.

Change is supposed to be a good thing for creative industries, but in the television business it could end up being the older, familiar stable shows that reward the networks in a time of uncertainty.